One doesn’t normally think about business Christmas cards in February. February brings visions of snowflakes and candy hearts for Valentine’s Day. However, the mild temperatures are making the predictions of one certain Pennsylvania groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, seem silly. Six more weeks of winter? If it continues like this, everyone will welcome it!

So with a prediction of six more weeks of winter, it turns my mind to Christmas cards in February. There are many reasons to order your cards early. One of the best reasons is that because this is the off season, cards are offered at greater discounts. This is a winning situation for both business and customer. Employers are able to keep employees productive and customers reap the benefit of lower costs. Ordering early also gives you the best selection of cards. When waiting until peak season to order, you run the risk of that special card being sold out. During the holiday season we usually feel rushed with way too many things to do. Before you know it, you are in complete panic mode and wondering how you are going to get everything done.

While everyone else is scrambling in November to get their Christmas card order in, you can devote your time to other important matters. Just don’t forget where you stored your cards!

With Christmas only days away, I have received many holiday wishes from family, friends and colleagues.  I have gotten e-cards, emails, phone calls and text messages, but nothing compares to having personalized holiday cards in your hands.  There’s something about a card that makes you feel like that person went the extra mile to send their holiday wishes.

Out of all the Christmas cards I have received so far, my favorite one was from a colleague in New York.  It was a Gallery Collection design.  It was a striking red berries design with a black background.  The colors were absolutely beautiful.  I have it hanging by my desk.  There is no way an e-card could compete with this card!

That is why every year I continue to send personalized Christmas cards.  I put mine in the mail the first week of December!  It is sort of a holiday tradition for me.  I made sure to send one to each person that I wanted to extend my warmest wishes to, both personally and professionally.  In this day and age, it is so easy to get caught up in doing everything electronically.  But there are just some things that the electronic world can never beat: sending Christmas cards!

‘Twas right before Christmas, when all thro’ the place
The workers were working at such a great pace;
The typists were typing the papers with care,
The phones were a’ringing, their sound filled the air;
The clerks were nestled all snug at their desks,
With visions of Turkeys still so picturesque.

And Fran at the copier and I at the file
decided to have coffee in just a short while;
When out in the hall there arose such a clatter,
We sprang to the doorway to see what was the matter;
When what to our wondering eyes should appear
But the boss his arms waving, his look full of fear.
More rapid than eagles his voice how it came
As he shouted and called us all by our name,
Now, Mary, now, Fran, now Alex and Brian
Up Gert and Up Greta Up Al and Up Simon.
To the conference room quick there’s no time like now
He said, “This problem is bringing a frown to my brow”.
Thanksgiving has passed and December is here
And our Christmas cards order is too late I do fear
What can we do? We’ll put our heads together
so as a team this crisis we’ll weather.

So off to the computers with all speed we did fly
To search all the sites in the Internet sky,
And there to our wearying eyes did we find
A website that had many choices for our bind.
There photo cards, business cards of choices a slew
There were trees, bells, snowflakes and ornaments too.
We pondered, we argued and then we decided
on the card where both business and thank you resided
Off again we did run, our selection to toss
With enthusiastic teamwork straight out to our boss.
A wink of his eye and a toss of his head
soon gave us to know we had nothing to dread.
He spoke not a word but to his desk he did dash
Ordering our Business Christmas cards in a flash.
But we heard him exclaim as he ran out of sight,
We’ll wish all a Happy Christmas to our customer’s delight.

About two years ago I moved from Danbury, Connecticut to Seattle, Washington. This was a big step in my life. I was starting a new career and moving away from all my friends and family on the East Coast. After a couple months at my new job the holidays rolled around and I received beautiful company Christmas cards. The quality of the card was outstanding from the paper, to the raised design, to the writing inside. I was in awe. I was also caught by surprise because I had never received a holiday card at my old job, in Connecticut, and I had been an employee there for 4 years. This immediately made me feel special but I could not get over the quality of this card.

The next year the holidays rolled around again and I get another Christmas card from my boss. This time the card was even more dazzling. It came on blue paper with silver snowflakes and the inside had silver writing. I couldn’t resist asking my boss where he got these cards from. He told me The Gallery Collection. That day I visited the website and found hundreds spectacular cards. I knew right then I wanted to share these cards with my family.

This year I am sending all my family back on the East Coast some of these beautiful Christmas cards. I am selecting a card that has a breathtaking picture of the Seattle skyline. I love this picture because it will really give my family back home an idea of what I get to see everyday and how much I love it here in Seattle. So, don’t think corporate holiday cards are just for at work. Give them a personal touch and I’m sure your family will enjoy them as much as I have.

Finally, a card that can be saved and displayed long after the holidays are over and is gorgeous to look at too! How many times do you take a day trip into New York City and want to snap a picture that captures all the beauty and excitement of the City, but you just can’t find the right light or the right angle? Well, I’ve just seen the perfect cards. New York City Christmas cards offer a variety of New York cards with breathtaking views.

Whether you want to capture the splendor of the Statue of Liberty against the night sky or the iconic Empire State building at twilight, these cards are amazing. There is even one picture of the skyline at night with the buildings reflected in the Hudson River. It’s the perfect solution to sending a card but also sending something that can be representative of the area in which we live. New York City, in particular, has so much to offer, that this is a great way to show off the City at its best.

Design 77ACW - New York City Montage
Christmas Card

I’m already thinking of how I can send these cards out to family and friends who might fly in and out of a New York City airport but never get to appreciate the sights of the City. These cards could also be a great reminder of a wonderful weekend spent during a family reunion or even a wedding. So may great memories will be revisited when someone opens these cards and once again remembers what a great time they had visiting the City. I even saw a card with the “Wall Street” street sign. That would be fun if I had a business in the financial district.

The more I look at these cards the more fascinated I am by them. They look like framed pieces of art. And yet, these are places I’ve been to. I have a feeling that once my friends and family who live across the country see these new cards, I may be getting more out of town guests than I’m used to who will want to see these places for themselves.

We all know it is of utmost importance to show your clients how much you value their business. Sending them Christmas cards is a great first step. What’s an even better way, you ask? How about sending them recycled greeting cards? Why not give the best impression you can possibly render?? When you send out environmentally friendly cards, you are providing an excellent example. With today’s economy, it is super important to reuse, recycle, and be “green” in as many ways as we can. Your clients will not only be impressed; they’ll be extremely happy to know that the person they conduct business with is eco-friendly.

Design 725CS - Vintage Holiday Greetings Card

The Gallery Collection features many Christmas Cards that are FSC certified or are produced with recycled paper. Some of those cards boast proud symbols of our green ways, such as Design 725CS – Vintage Holiday Greeting Card. In addition, our ink is agri-based ink made from vegetable oils extracted from linseed and soy. Why not take pride in the choice of cards you send out, and choose one that is ecological? Your clients will notice your good taste and be pleased. Better yet, you’ll know you’re taking the right steps to help our fragile environment while showing your clients you care!

As a kid I was always excited when the holiday season was on the way. Christmas was always my favorite time of the year. I loved being surrounded by family, food, fun, and of course gifts. One of the most interesting gifts that I received was my Uncle Charlie’s Christmas cards. Uncle Charlie always gave me and my brother the greatest cards. He usually would switch it up every year between money or gift cards from my favorite stores. The cards were always more interesting themselves though because of the messages he wrote in them. My Uncle Charlie was a bit of a jokester and he always had something funny to say. I recall one year he wrote to me, “Don’t tell your brother, I gave you more money.” He would write the same thing to my brother and both of us would have an evil smile on our faces laughing at each other.

Uncle Charlie’s personalized Christmas cards were also spectacular because he would sometimes include illustrations he drew himself. Uncle Charlie was quite the creative being. One year he drew Santa falling off a reindeer and dropping all of the gifts all over the bottom of the card. Another year he drew a bunch of elves hanging from the lettering inside the card. He would always tell me if I didn’t do well in school, Santa was going to drop all of my gifts into the ocean and they would float to children who deserved them. I never received a bad grade in school!

So you think not sending business Christmas cards this year is a good way to help save money in this recession? Think again! Now is not the time to cut back on your advertising. Sending Christmas cards is one of the best ways to increase your company’s visibility in a most economical way. In fact, now is the time to increase your mailing list. The companies that will make it through these tough times the best are those that are able to retain as many clients as possible, and sending cards is one of the best ways to accomplish that. Send Christmas cards, send Thanksgiving cards, send birthday cards – all of these will make a big impact on your recipients.

Not sure which cards will have the most impact? It’s really not that tough, just try to decide on the overall message you want to convey. The Gallery Collection offers a great array of designs from traditional to light-hearted, so you really can’t go wrong. We’ve even categorized the offerings to make your choice as easy as possible. You’ll see categories for Business, Personal, Themed, etc. You can choose whether you prefer to say Merry Christmas or a more generic Season’s Greetings wish. You can show your clients that you care about our environment by choosing a card from our Eco-Friendly category. You can’t go wrong with whichever design you choose, but you can go wrong if you don’t send your corporate Christmas cards. And remember, if you ignore your customers, they will go away!

The Red Sox, Samuel Adams Lager, the T, Harvard Square, The Celtics, and clam chowder…. What do these all have in common?  They come from one of the most amazing cities in the world – Boston, Massachusetts!  And this year you can show your Boston Pride with our new Boston Christmas Cards!

Boston always fills visitors with a sense of history. Though it is definitely a teeming urban metropolis, much of the colonial architecture still remains. Is Cambridge your old stomping ground (or maybe your current one)? Then Design 80ACW – Boston, Cambridge Christmas Card, is for you, complete with crimson cardstock to match the Harvard colors.

Design 82ACW - Boston, Beacon Hill
Christmas Card

Do you want a card that portrays that classic historic Boston feel? Design 82ACW – Beacon Hill Christmas Card, features Acorn Street which was built in the late 1820s and is thought of as one of the most picturesque streets in the United States.  You can almost hear the clip-clop of horse hooves on those cobblestones.

The City of Boston is also known for its waterways, and we have cards that capture their majestic beauty. Design 71ACS – Boston Harbor Christmas Card, is the perfect choice for the nautical aficionado, featuring sail boats  and yachts so vibrantly you can almost feel the sunshine on your face and the wind in your hair. During a brisk New England winter, this card will bring a welcome reminder of warm days to come.

Nothing really says Happy Holidays like a nighttime skyline photo like Design 70ACW – Boston Skyline at Night Christmas Card.  Boston is lit up like a brilliant Christmas tree and that image is accented by the reflection of the city lights on the water. It’s a peaceful and serene scene that will also display beautifully in the homes and offices of those on your card list.

Boston is a city filled with history, tradition and beautiful scenery.  Share your love of this great city with one of our Boston Christmas cards this holiday season!

Ah, the joys of Holiday traditions….

It’s a magical scene:  A perfectly shaped triangular Christmas tree is nestled in the corner of our cozy living room.  Personalized Christmas cards for every little boy and girl signed by Santa Claus accompany each gift under the tree.  Overstuffed red and green stockings line the fireplace.  To me, this paints the perfect picture of Christmas.  It wouldn’t be quite complete though, without the most important tradition of our never-ending feast, filled with all the holiday favorites!

The month-long celebration usually kicks off at Thanksgiving, but the real treat is on Christmas Eve when my grandmother brings out her old recipe book from the attic.  I’m sure she knows how to make everything from memory after twenty-something years, but the perfectionist she is, each ingredient has to be measured to the teaspoon to be sure its just right.

Depending on your background, there may be a few traditional dishes that are always served on Christmas Eve.  For my family, it’s the “Feast of the Seven Fishes” meal consisting of anchovies, lobster tails, stuffed shrimp, eel, baccala (salted cod fish), mussels, and clams which are all prepared with my great-grandmothers special seasoning.  To compliment the main attraction, everyone takes part in bringing homemade side dishes such as pasta, meatballs, sausage and peppers, potatoes, vegetables, salad, and lots of fresh Italian bread and butter for dipping.

After filling our tummies, it’s time for the kids’ favorite part of the day – opening presents. First everyone has to open their Christmas cards. Once a peaceful scene, the living room soon erupts into chaos as the first present is opened.  Ribbons, bows, and wrapping paper are strewn around the room in a happy mess of children and toys.  While the kids are preoccupied with their new gadgets, the adults move on to the next order of business and start preparing dessert.  Classics like fresh cannolis, Neapolitan ice cream, Rice pudding, and my grandmothers famous triple-Chocolate Cherry mousse cake are always big hits.

Once everyone has eaten to their hearts content, it’s time to make the long journey back home to snuggle in our beds and await the second round of festivities on Christmas day.  In the words of Santa Clause from my favorite Christmas tale: “Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”